Graveminder

Rebekkah Barrow returns to the town of Claysville following the brutal murder of her grandmother, Maylene. There she and old flame Byron Montgomery discover that the town’s founders made a deal with a mysterious Mr. D. In exchange for the health and welfare of its residents, the town must provide a Graveminder to ensure the dead easy passage into the next world. As it turns out, Maylene was the Graveminder for decades and now Rebekkah has inherited the job. But in Maylene’s absence the dead have started to rise. Now Rebekkah and Byron must work to get things back to normal before the dead outnumber the living. Emma Galvin’s narration is solid and appropriate, and the slightly Southern twang she delivers perfectly captures the gothic atmosphere of this haunting novel. Her characterizations are simple but distinct, and her interpretation of the creepy Mr. D. is particularly captivating. A William Morrow hardcover. (May)